Kenya International and Ulinzi Starlets skipper Neddy Atieno who has guided the military side to clinching the inaugural Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Women’s Cup and Super Cup has retired. Atieno who joined Ulinzi from Makolanders in 2017 and helped the team storm the Women Premier League (WPL) in 2020 had just made her return to the national women’s team Harambee Starlets, helping them dispense South Sudan 15-1 in the first round of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers. Former Kenyan International and former Ulinzi Starlets Captain Neddy Atieno retired from playing football last week after leading and inspiring our team to victory in the FKF Women Cup and FKF Super Cup.Khai????? Huh!!!! pic.twitter.com/QPUL7JlERh— Bree Mo’ngina! (@beebree0) November 13, 2021 In the 2020/21 season as the military side was making their debut in the top tier league, Atieno guided the team to a third-place finish in zone A and were eliminated in the playoff quarters. They went on to beat three-time league champions Vihiga Queens in the inaugural Women’s Cup which opened the chance to feature in the inaugural Super Cup. “She had expressed that she would be retiring at the end of the season but when the Women’s Cup was delayed, she agreed to continue until the end. Again when we won the Cup she was ready to quit but I told her she has to win us another title. If we had missed the Super Cup, she would still be part of the playing unit as that was the agreement. Photos of her crying after we lifted the Super Cup at the expense of Thika Queens did rounds but few understood what that match meant for her, she knew it was her last as an active Ulinzi player and it was an emotional time for her,” explained Ulinzi Starlets Head coach Joseph Mwanza. The tactician maintains that Atieno is still part of the team and she could in future be involved with the team in different capacities owing to her experience on the pitch and other trainings she has undergone that would be of help to the team.Two days ago, Atieno was named as part of a Ministry of Sports’ constituted Caretaker Committee that has taken over the operations of the federation after the Nick Mwendwa-led FKF was disbanded.
